Roger86

05-16-2007, 4:17 PM

Mahalo again to KITV for giving us the opportunity to watch along with everyone there. We felt the Kane's auana hula from Halau Ka Liko Pua O Kalaniakea should get a special award for their performance. Also agreed that Aureana was gorgous in both her kahiko and auana in particular.

Kapu

05-14-2007, 10:56 PM

One thing about Merry Monarch is that unless you belong to the winning halau you will always find something to critize about. This year Mark Keli'iho'omalu seems to be the target. In past years Uncle Johnny Lum Ho use to be the target. Some say Mark K. is out of the box, not the traditionist. Uncle Johnny was also said to be a non-traditionlist, and yet I marvel at that word "tradition". Who's tradition? I mean I hear that so many times, "oh that wasn't traditional" or "this wasn't tradition", who's tradition? My Kumu, Johnny Piilani Watkins, use to teach us that you do not smile when performing the Kahiko, but low and behold everyone smiles now. So apparently this tradition has changed, and to say that Mark K. insulted the Hawaiian's, amazes me, because I was at this years MM, and many hawaiians were applauding this man. As a hawaiian, I enjoyed his performance in the women's Kahiko and the men's auana. I didn't particularly enjoy the girl's auana, but that's just my feel on it, but other people enjoyed it.

Sometimes people look at a kumu who goes out of the box as a radical and a non-traditionalist, but I look at these kumus as creative souls, not afraid to go one step more.

I've been to many MM, and too many halaus are to afraid to breakout and be creative, because they look for the prize not the enjoyment of giving people an art that is so beautiful to enjoy. If a halau won the previous year with hawaiian bracelets, the next year so many halaus have hawaiian bracelets. If one year a winning halau sings, the following year more halaus sing.

Like Uncle Johnny Lum Ho, Mark Keli'iho'omalu is there to perform for the people and not "KA" to the judges, cause once you start doing that, hula becomes a bought art.

A hui hou, malama pono

maui00

05-11-2007, 1:55 PM

I want to say that ALL Halau at this years Merrie Monarch did a great job. No matter where you from-(If I left anyone out I apologize) Maui, Oahu, Kauai, Big Island, California, & Nevada I applaud you. Its a shame?I feel bad for the dancers that poured their heart and souls out on that stage-to log onto this discussion and have to read the negativity towards them and their Kumu. All the negative comments made about any Halau pale in comparison to all the hard work and preparation they have done in making it to Merrie Monarch. People making these bad comments apparently fail to recognize this. They like focus on what they view as different, out of their so called ordinary and slam them for that. Obviously Halau have been invited to compete at Merrie Monarch because they are great at what they do, and that the Merrie Monarch powers that be like what they see. If you dont like what you see then dont watch, change the channel or look away for 6 or 7 minutes. Try give this some thought: You make comments (be it negative or positive) about a Halau they gain even more notoriety. Hmmm?something to chew on ya? We have a lot to learn weather you from mainland or the islands. I hope that we, as Human Beings, continue to learn and grow-to be tolerant and be accepting regardless of differences. Think outside the box, dont lock yourselves in it. To all Kumu and their Haumana: I want to say thank you for doing what you do because through you Hula lives. I cannot wait to see what all of you will be bringing to the stage next year-Mahalo! I said it before - IMUA.

maui00

05-10-2007, 1:48 PM

In response to ?kamakana?: I am a fan of ALL Hula weather it is from the islands, or the mainland-my favorite actually is Halau O Kekuhi. Plain and simple: Hula is Hula no matter where it is danced. I was fortunate to tape this year?s Merrie Monarch from home here in Maui, and yes my family an I are from Maui. If you did watch closely, sure Mark Ho`omalu?s Hula is ?different? but I did see some basic steps in his men?s dancing, if I?m not mistaken I saw : Kaholo, Holoholo, Kawelu, and they were dancing `Ai ha`a. You also likened the dance to a ?gorilla dance? and in a previous post you said ?gorilla chest pounding?. The comment that Pualani Kanakaole made at the end of the performance was, that the type of Hula they did was called Hula Pa`i umauma- not ?gorilla chest pounding? (Maybe you can watch again when the DVD comes out in Aug). From some reading Hula Pa`i umauma is a chest slapping Hula normally done seated (Mark?s Men did their dance standing). But in your words and mine, Hula progresses and changes as time goes on. Wow and to assume that Mark has denounced his lineage, ?tradition?, and what Hula stands for just because he does his Hula different is ridiculous. I have been told to never assume, take the time to walk in others? shoes, and do your research before making comments about others. I?d like to see you walk in Mark and his student?s shoes!! I have quoted previously: A`ohe pau ka `ike i ka halau ho`okahi - "Not all knowledge is taught in one school". We as a people need to advance and not be stuck in one way because it?s ?tradition?, or because ?that?s how it?s always been done?. We will get left behind and forgotten. Unlike the ancient times everything past and present is being written down and recorded, so don?t be afraid ?tradition? will not be lost. Let us draw from the present or we will loose the future. What is the word? IMUA. Let me say it again, IMUA.

kamakana

05-09-2007, 7:53 AM

Aloha all...I just checked back out of curiosity and found a few new comments. Obviously most from the mainland and/or AHA students and fans. Humble? Please...give me a break. When a mere haumana speaks out with such loud opinion, it is by far nothing near ha`aha`a. Many of you are missing the picture here. Yes, hula progresses and changes as time goes on. We create and choreograph as places, people, events, phenomena, etc. inspire us TODAY, BUT!!!! We keep the fundmentals of hula as the basis and foundation of our hula choreography. Mark Ho`omalu's men's kahiko was absent of any of the basic hula steps. No hela, no kaholo, no `uwehe, etc. etc. Looked like a cross between a gorrilla dance and somewhere near the Samoa / Tonga / Fiji islands. People who are not born and raised in Hawai`i, or perhaps have lived away from the Islands for too long forget that hula is inspired by the mana of these islands, people, the ocean, atmosphere, rains, plants, etc. Hula is deeply rooted in spirituality and originally -- in religious purpose and practice. So when you say it is not Hollywood. Perhaps you're right. It's just as bad though...it's Disneyland. Dancing for 13 years, 20 years, whatever it is - is still a speck in time when you look at the lineages and traditions that other schools of hula come from. So being humble, is looking to that knowledge and experience and learning from it, being inspired by it. Not just turning up your noses and denouncing everything that hula does stand for. Some of you mainland people have lots to learn.

p.s. Regarding the comment about "same `auana wins 4th but didn't place in previous years": You forget that other award-winning kumu and their halau were not participating this year. Perhaps it could've been different if they were. Knock the chips of your shoulders...look up the words humble and humility and then begin to seek and learn about the values of our kupuna.

maui00

04-24-2007, 11:09 AM

Wow...how some of us have forgotten: A`ohe pau ka `ike i ka halau ho`okahi - "Not all knowledge is taught in one school". We also forget, though most of us hate to admit it, with time comes change. I hear this all the time "oh it was never done like that before", "that's not how it's supposed to be done"-if that was the case then why are any of you making these comments using electricity, driving your car, or even voting? According to HISTORY or "tradition" those things too were never done before. To ALL Halau: keep up the hard work, do what you do, and ignore all the negativity. ALOHA!!

MMfan

04-22-2007, 6:46 AM

Politics always prevailes...... 1-Judges vote for Kumu and not for Performance. 2-Family of judges or judges should NOT help train the dancers for Competition. 3-Judges should not be affiliated with the Kumu from work or school. 4-The point system is unfair...lowest and highest scores throne out. ........just a few things to think about!

Mahalo,

There is only 1 True Judge, MMfan

ekahalewai

04-20-2007, 6:26 PM

First, mahalo to KITV for broadcasting MM. I'm always greatful to be a distant part of MM festival. Congratulations to Hula Halau 'O Kamuela, beautiful dancers, hula, etc. I have always enjoyed Kaui's and Kunewa's talents. To my daughter's Kumu Mark, for those that do not know and do not understand, my aloha to you. You are doing what your Kumu taught you, "Do your own". Criticism for doing what your Kumu told you to do? Funny how the same style auana placed 4th this year, but was not good enough and criticized a few years back. Check out the old MM tapes and you'll see. As for Aunty Pua, how come you can call one halau and their steps "INNOVATIVE", but another's you have no comment for. Yes, there is too much hula politics. Can you not enjoy and appreciate the hula for what is was, is and has become? Can you embrace the beauty of hula whether it comes from Japan, Texas, Las Vegas, and even the "rappers" of Oakland, California? Though we are not fortunate to live in the islands, we make the 'aina where ever we live. Though I am not born and raised in Hawaii, are you telling me that my hula is not as good as yours? Like others, Kumu Mark is not "Hollywood". Hula is the breath of every Hawaiian. I love hula, no matter whose it is. Is there really a right and wrong?

puanani619

04-19-2007, 6:42 PM

Aloha kakou!

Not sure if messages are still being posted here...I had a couple of questions or possible discussion points.

1) Are halau still going into the forests to collect flowers or are growers now becomming acceptable places to get flower for lei? It seems to me that if all the flowers are picked at the one time of year, lehua mamo, for example, what happens the rest of the year? I'm curious...hope that doesn't seem like a stupid question.

2) I agree with Aureana should have placed higher in MAH...her kahiko outfit out of kapa was AMAZING! Can anyone comment on that outfit...did she make it totally herself, was it a halau project...does anyone have experience making kapa? I'd like to try...just don't know where to find the tree here. And her 'auana costume...as Teahani (sp??) said...she looked like Miss Aloha Hula Barbie...so beautiful.

3) Mark Keali'i Ho'omalu. Yep...he's different. I guess he feels above all the hoopla...recall he didn't even come to the stage when the kumu were recognized and when his halau won, he sent his alaka'i. Was he even still in the stands? I remember in the video of "American Aloha" he talked about how he liked to push the boundaries of hula...it's interesting to me that Merrie Monarch chooses to invite him back. I personally like his style. However, if MM is going to be "pure" hula...it's not him. BTW...what IS "pure" hula. Hula steps change over the years...there was an excellent article in the Maui News on Thursday, April 12 about this very thing.

OK...that's enough. Hopefully there are still a few people moderating/participating here...I'd love to get some answers/feedback.

Mahalo nui loa!

Puanani619 Maui, HI "E waiho ka hilahila ma ka hale, e hula mai!!"

Sundee

04-19-2007, 4:48 PM

Aloha everyone. First of all everyone did a great job. ALL HALAUS. I want to congratulate and give my Aloha to my Kumu Mark Ho'omalu and my Hula brothers and Sisters. We, at the Academy of Hawaiian Arts are not taught to be arrogant, but to be humble. I feel really sorry for the people who seem to think that. No one knows what goes on in the Halau, and what we're taught. I am just proud to watch another generation in our Halau continue on and watching them blossom into beautiful dancers. I have been a Haumana for 15 yrs. of my Kumu and I'm still learning and thankful for everything he has taught me. Kumu, Mahalo for teaching me properly. As for all the bad examples out there, Mahalo for teaching me how NOT TO BE. Aloha, Sundee Midel